The present invention relates, generally, to a method for analyzing geothermal resource data and, more particularly, to a method for analyzing 2-dimensional geothermal resource data using a web-based 3-dimensional sectional view to implement an analyzing module as a program run by data processing devices including a computer; the analyzing module being configured to perform a 3-dimensional section analysis for 2-dimensional geothermal resource spatial data using geothermal resource data such as: a geothermal heat flow map, a geothermal gradient map, a geothermal distribution-at-depth map, and the like, obtained by synthesizing geothermal heat flow data calculated from measuring geothermal gradient and thermal conductivity of rocks in a specific region.
Also, the present invention, to implement the 3-dimensional section analyzing module for 2-dimensional geothermal resource spatial data as a program run on the Web as described above, relates to a method for analyzing 2-dimensional geothermal resource data using a web-based 3-dimensional sectional view, configured by the processes of: selecting a target region for analysis on a map screen on the Web, and generating linear vector data for the region; requesting a section analysis layer of GeoServer for the target region based on the generated linear vector data and a distribution map; generating a dynamic query for the section analysis depending on the conditions delivered from the GeoServer, and executing PostGIS, which is an open source based-geographic information software; delivering a result of the sectional view analysis executed by PostGIS to OpenLayers, and generating a chart for the results of the section analysis to display it on the Web; and displaying the chart of the sectional view analysis as a form of a pop-up window on the map screen on the Web.
These days, because of the problems like climate change from reckless destruction and exhaustion of fossil fuels such as petroleum or coal, studies on renewable energy are actively progressed. Renewable energy involves using natural energy such as solar power, water power, wind power, geothermal heat, etc., which are eco-friendly alternative energy forms that may replace the existing fossil fuels.
In this case, using geothermal heat has an effect on curbing a greenhouse effect and heat islands because it exhausts little gases including CO2, NOx, SOx in comparison with fuel fossils, and thus may mitigate global warming. Also, supplying natural energy such as solar power, water power, or wind power is generally influenced by meteorological phenomena, while geothermal energy is rarely influenced by meteorological phenomena, therefore it has a high reliability in terms of supply.
In detail, geothermal heat is the energy that the earth has, including hot water and rocks, extending in from the surface of the earth to depths of several kilometers. About 47% of solar heat is stored underground through the surface of the earth. Temperatures of the interior of the earth absorbing the solar heat are different according to the topography, but the temperature of the undersurface roughly ranges from 10° C. to 20° C., and the geothermal temperature at the depth of several kilometers ranges from 40° C. to above 150° C. with little variation throughout the year.
Additionally, in Korea, accessing deep geothermal heat reserves is difficult because there are currently no active volcanic regions there. Consequently, a system using geothermal heat at depth from 100 m to 150 m is actively being developed and supplied.
However, the definition of geothermal energy potential is not globally agreed-upon because it is differently defined according to electric generation, district heating or air conditioning using geothermal heat pump. Also, in Korea, quantitative estimation of the geothermal energy resources is difficult.
Accordingly, the present applicant, the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, has displayed the distribution of geothermal energy by respectively producing a geothermal heat flow map, geothermal gradient map, and geothermal distribution-at-depth map throughout the country, to analyze the distribution of geothermal energy in Korea.
In this case, a geothermal heat flow, which may alternatively be called heat flow of the earth crust, is an amount of energy present from the earth's core to the earth's crust, and it is shown as an amount of energy obtainable from the unit area per unit time, expressed as HFU (Heat Flow Unit, m·W/m2). 1 HFU means that 10−6 cal of energy comes from the 1 m2 of area during one second.
Also, because the heat flow of the earth crust relates to the stability of the earth's crust, it shows a high value in a tectonic region compared to a stable region. In other words, a heat flow of the earth crust is measured at a high level within a young organic belt or volcanic zone. In the case of continents, it is measured at a high level in organic belts of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic era, which is relatively close to the present, while it is measured at a low level in shields. In case of the ocean, it is high in oceanic ridges and decreases as the distance therefrom increases, being at its lowest in oceanic trenches.
Additionally, the geothermal gradient is the rate of increasing temperature with respect to increasing depth beneath the earth's crust. In other words, a high geothermal gradient means that geothermal heat is much higher with increasing depth, and it generally shows 20° C. to 30° C. per 1 km, but it may show 50° C. in high temperature zones, for example an active volcanic region.
A direct method of measurement for a geothermal gradient is digging a well in the surface of the earth and measuring the temperature of the interior of the well. Additionally, a mine or petroleum well is also used for the same object. Another method is implemented in the laboratory by measuring heat flux and thermal conductivity from one point on the earth's surface (mostly on the ocean floor), and estimating geothermal gradient according to the measurement.
Furthermore, geothermal distribution-at-depth shows geothermal temperature at the surface of the earth or geothermal distribution at the specific depth.
Accordingly, data synthetically estimating a heat flow of the earth's crust, geothermal gradient, and geothermal distribution-at-depth is used for evidentiary materials to select a proposed site for geothermal energy development. However, a method or system to effectively analyze the geothermal distribution has not been provided.
More specifically, a geothermal heat flow map, geothermal gradient map, and geothermal distribution-at-depth map as described above are just 2-dimensional data. Therefore, to establish a 3-dimensional sectional view that shows geothermal distribution according to depth in the specific region, it is necessary to search for many geothermal maps per depth in the specific region; to synthesize and analyze the respective geothermal maps; and to establish a sectional view.
Consequently, to solve the problems in the prior art as described above, it is desired to provide a spatial data analyzing system for geothermal resources, configured to make a program automatically execute the processes of: aggregating and analyzing existing geothermal resource data for a region when a user inputs the region for analysis; and establishing a 3-dimensional sectional view for geothermal distribution, using a means of data processing including a computer. But, such a device or method has not been provided yet.